Many types of passenger transportation vehicles (such as aircraft, ships, buses, trains, and any other passenger transport vehicles) use vacuum toilets. These toilets generally experience a very high service frequency, as there are typically only a few toilets provided that are intended to service hundreds of passengers. Vehicle toilets are often used in a small enclosed space, such as an aircraft lavatory. Although venting and odor-reduction features are provided in lavatories, cleanliness and waste splash may still present issues, particularly around the toilet shroud. For example, liquid waste can escape through the toilet rim vent holes onto a lavatory floor when the liquid is moving at a high velocity. This may be either human waste or other liquid galley waste being emptied into the toilet by aircraft attendants. Splashing of human and/or galley waste can cause corrosion of the area surrounding the toilet frame, leading to health and safety hazards. Odors due to waste spillage can also cause passenger and/or crew discomfort.
On international flights, toilet shrouds must be removed after every flight for security checks. This safety precaution may be done to ensure that no passenger has positioned a weapon or other contraband behind or within the toilet shroud. However, removal of the toilet shroud can be time-consuming and expensive.
Accordingly, improvements for maintaining cleanliness of the toilets while still incorporating safety features are provided herein.